Lordaeron
The kingdom of Lordaeron is based in the Tirisfal Glades, and stretches from the Western Plaguelands to Gilneas and the Hillsbrad Foothills. The Kingdom of Lordaeron includes: *The Tirisfal Glades *The Silverpine Forest *Hillsbrad Foothills Tirisfal Glades On the northern coast of Lordaeron lies the eerie Tirisfal Glades. The unofficial kingdom to the Forsaken, servants of the Banshee Queen Sylvanas Windrunner, the wooded hills are seeped through with the curse of the Lich King's plague. The sky over Tirisfal is eternally gloomy and tinted a blighted green, and the trees and other flora desperately cling to their last shreds of life. Although tainted and melancholy, Tirisfal still very much has its own unique, haunting beauty, particularly in such areas as the stony North Coast, the village of Brill, and the deep atmosphere of the ruined Agamand Mills. Tirisfal Glades is home not only to the Forsaken, but to their enemies as well. The Scarlet Crusade has several outposts here, including the seat of their religious faith, the Scarlet Monastery. The minions of the Scourge are also ever present, tainting the derelict farmsteads and dilapidated mills with their foul presence. With the increased land area, the Tirisfal Glades is sizable and includes a few human settlements that live in fear of the Forsaken Undead and the Scourge. These areas are controlled by the Scarlet Crusade, which feed off the people's fear. Adventures in Tirisfal: The Tirisfal Glades was once a peaceful vale just north of the capital of Lordaeron. It was a place of power for centuries, being the seat of the Guardians of Tirisfal, who secretly waged their war against darkness. Under the rule of King Terenas, Tirisfal became a land of peaceful farms and small towns, its people living happily for generations. Unfortunately, it was one of the first places to fall to Arthas' armies after he ransacked Lordaeron, and its people were killed and risen as slaves to the Lich King. Just after the Third War ended, the Lich King began losing power thanks to the spell of Illidan Stormrage. With that, a number of undead managed to break free of his control and form the Forsaken. The rebel undead managed to take control of Tirisfal and establish it as their home territory. However, the blighted lands of Tirisfal are far from safe, even for the Forsaken who now rule it. The land is still plagued with hideous mutants, mindless soldiers from the Lich King's Scourge, and members of the Scarlet Crusade, which regularly attack from their base in the Scarlet Monastery. Campaigns set in Tirisfal involve the Forsaken Undead and their attempts to quell the Scarlet Crusade and their fight with the Undead Scourge. The Silverpine Forest The Alliance once kept Silverpine Forest pristine and beautiful, at a time when the forest resembled the Hinterlands far to the east. During the Third War, the forest was affected by the plague of undeath. The forces of the Lich King invaded the woods, setting fire to the crops and massacring its people. With Lordaeron destroyed, the wizards of Dalaran busy rebuilding their home and the citizens of Gilneas having locked themselves away behind the Greymane Wall, no one was left to take care of the forest. The plague began to affect the trees, making them pale and lifeless with disease. Since its fall, the forest has become occupied by the Forsaken, minions of Thule Ravenclaw, and the forces of Arugal. Its fate lies in uncertain hands as the opposing factions vie for control of the strategically important woods. However, The Forsaken have successfully pushed through Silverpine Forest, their forces now occupying the majority of lands all the way to and into Hillsbrad Foothills. They have removed the murlocs from their homes at the Shining Strand and cowed all those affiliated with Dalaran into abandoning the roads and retreating to Ambermill. This falls soon enough to the Horde. Easily one of the most distinctive changes to the zone is the addition of Forsaken-themed architecture, from the new command posts and the Sepulcher, even down to the sickly glowing lamps that dot the bridges. There is even a new wall separating the zone from Tirisfal Glades in the north and one bordering Hillsbrad Foothills to the south. Plague containers dot the northern road and also near the Decrepit Ferry. A Horde Coffin Hauler pulled by a Subdued Forest Ettin serves as transportation for lower level characters without mounts, running from Tirisfal all the way down near Shadowfang Keep. There are a number of new Horde encampments. To the north near Tirisfal is the Forsaken High Command where players will begin their trek into the phased zone. The Dead Field has been converted and is now the Forsaken Rear Guard, where Horde adventurers are tasked with fighting the Worgen at North Tide's Beachhead. The Forsaken Front sits all the way to the south, very near Shadowfang Keep and Pyrewood Village. It is from here that Horde fighters wage a constant battle against the Gilneans, for the Greymane Wall has been shattered. The Worgen are, by far, the largest threat facing the Forsaken. They spill from Gilneas, attempting to thwart Sylvanas's plan of taking the worgen kingdom, allied now with the Alliance. In addition to the area just outside the Greymane Wall, they have pushed far into Silverpine, taking over Olsen's Farthing, scuttling boats near North Tide's Run, and even engaging the Horde at their command post to the north. Further Alliance activity includes a mob of Hillsbrad Refugees descending upon Fenris Isle, ousting the gnolls there in an effort to escape the war within Hillsbrad Foothills. Adventures: As a Horde area, adventures in the Silverpine Forest revolve around the Worgen and Forsaken conflict. With the majority of the heroic Greymane Worgen scattered as if leaves in the wind, the Forsaken do battle with Darius Crowley -- the Bloodfang's new Alpha -- and the Bloodfang pack of Worgen. Campaigns here deal with the stopping of the Gilneas Liberation Front and Darius Crowley. The Hillsbrad Foothills Hillsbrad is traditionally the most blood soaked battlefield on Azeroth, despite its pleasant, pastoral setting. In the Second War, it saw several important skirmishes between orcs and forest trolls on one side, and humans and high elves on the other. In the Third War, the Scourge wiped out the human town of Tarren Mill, though later it was claimed as the southernmost holding of the Forsaken. Since then, the undead have been battling fiercely with the humans of Southshore, and the region is infamous for having at one point been impossible to even enter without being slowed down by the constant battle and bloodshed. It was formerly the home of Dalaran before the Third War. The Forsaken gained the upper hand during the events of the Cataclysm, due in no small part to the use of the Forsaken plague, despite being expressly forbidden by Garrosh Hellscream. Hillsbrad Fields shows the most terrible result of this plague, now named the Sludge Fields and overridden with mindless aberrations. Southshore, once the most prominent Alliance holding, now lies in complete and utter ruin, most of the inhabitants slain or engulfed by monstrosities birthed by the plague. Plague tanks still line the road, now flush with green, sickly pools. The Horde did not stop with pushing out the Alliance, though they certainly claimed much territory from their most hated enemies, including Azurelode Mine and the Lordamere Internment Camp. The Syndicate also were routed or killed, giving up Eastpoint Tower and Durnholde Keep, the Keep now used as a proving ground for would-be Horde heroes. In addition to their new territories, the Horde have updated their architecture to reflect a Forsaken feel, including their well-known town of Tarren Mill. The Alliance have not completely given up without a fight. Corrahn's Dagger, the Headland, and Gavin's Naze all contain Stormpike troops which Horde adventurers must deal with, and Stormwind Intelligence Section 7 assassins now stalk Sofera's Naze. The Stormpike have even attempted to claim Purgation Isle with the help of the worgen. Even the spirit of the dwarves live on at Dun Garok, fighting for their lands after death. This reminds the Forsaken of their own tumultuous history and earns their respect. Because of this they report Dun Garok to be uninhabitable so that the spirits can keep what they fight for. Adventures in Hillsbrad: Player Characters adventuring in Hillsbrad may find adventures where the Forsaken cement their control over the Hillsbrad, but may find that they have a rough time of it. The city of Southshore is the last major human settlement of both Lordaeron and Arathor, and they tenaciously hold on to what is their's, calling on the Stormspikes and the Worgen for assistance. Although the region is finding some semblance of peace, the place is still a battlefield.